Thousands of low-income patients across the Bay Area and northern California will get better access to community and public resources such as food banks, job training programs, shelters for the homeless and victims of domestic violence, thanks to new Kaiser Permanente grants to community clinics totaling $666,000.

The Kaiser Permanente grants to 11 community clinics - each grant is $60,000 - will enable the clinics to screen, and help enroll patients for public benefit programs such as CalFresh/SNAP food stamps, Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.

"Kaiser Permanente is committed to keeping people healthy - and health means much more than just health care," said Dr. David Shearn, director of Physician Education and Development and Community Benefit physician liaison for Kaiser Permanente Northern California.

In Fremont, Newark and Union City, the Tri-City Health Center will use the grant to help Tri-City's pregnant population gain better access to community resources.

"Tri-City Health Center recognizes that health does not exist in a vacuum and as a community clinic we offer much more than health care services," said Pam Kitagawa, manager of Teen and Women's Programs at Tri-City Health Center in Fremont.